Radio adjusting mechanism



Jan. 21, 1930. MULL 1,744,330

RADIO ADJUSTING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 17, 1923 ji l 3 I z w .Liwcnior:

' 15 after more full Patented Jan. 21 1930 RAYMOND A. HULL, OI BENTONHARBOR, MICHIGAN RADIO ADJUSTING MECHANISM Application filed February17, 1923'. Serial No. 619,740.

Generally stated, the object of the inven-.

tion is to provide an improved construction and arrangement whereby theknob or handle of'the instrument may be turned at a certain speed, inthe ordinary manner, and whereby such rotary motion of the knob orhandle will produce a much slower motion of the-indicating means, thusmaking it easier'to find the exact condition'necessary for tuning theapparatus in the desired manner, as will hereinappear.

It is also an o ect to provide certain details and features ofconstruction and novel combinations tending to increase the generalefliciency and the desirability of a radio or wireless tuning knob orhandle of this particular construction and character.

To these and other useful ends the invention consists in mattershereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawingsin which- Figure 1 is a front view ofan adjusting mechanism embodyingthe principles of the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical section on line 3-3 in Figure '2.

As thus illustrated, the invention comprises a, front wall 1 having ashaft 2 inserted to rotate thereon, as the element to be adjusted,thereby to adjust the condenser or variometer or other apparatus (notshown) in the desired manner. The disk 3 is rigid with said' shaft andhas graduations or other'indicating means along the edge thereof. Thedisk 4 is rigid with the knob 5 and rotates on the hub sleeve 6 of saiddisk 3, as "shown. Said disk 4 has a pinion 7, and planetary gears 8 aremounted on the disk 3 to engage said pinion. A stationary gear ring 9has internal gear teeth 10 to engage said gears. The arm 11 of the ring9 can be arranged to engage the bolt 12, to hold the ring stationary,this bolt being one that is ordinarily grounded in the use of theapparatus. Rotation of the knob b at any speed will rotate the disk 3 ata slower rate of speed.

Now the beveled edge of the disk 4 may also have graduations orindicating means thereon, as shown, to assist the eye of the user injudging the character of the adjustment necessary to obtain the desiredresult, as in tuning the apparatus in the well known manner. Thegearing, it will be seen, is all enclosed in a vertical plane betweenthe two disks 3 and 4, and may be proportioned to give any reduced rateof speed to the shaft 2 by which the apparatus is adjusted or operated.In this way very accurate adjustment can be secured.

The front wall 1 can be provided with an indicating point 13, and inline vertical therewith the ring 9 may have an indicating point 14, sothat the extent of rotation can be observed and determined, thegraduations on to carefully seek the exact position at which the desiredtuning effect is obtained for the radio apparatus.

It will be seen that .the means for enclos ing the planetary gearingcomprises the rel-' atively movable dials or disks 4 and 3, and thatthese disks have their edges graduated to form indicating means, so thatthese edges are necessarily or desirably exposed to view. Thus themember 3 which supports the planetary gears is a movable indicatingmeans, and is thus given a double function, in the manner described. Theshaft 2 of the. condenser or variometer or other device is provided withan end portion stopping short 96 a distance from the handle 5, as shown,so

that the handle is not mounted directly on said shaft, but is coupledthereto by the sleeve or coupling device 6 in the manner shown anddescribed, the handle being rotatable on this sleeve or coupling. Thusthe coupling 6 forms an end extension of the shaft 2, upon which thehandle is rotatably mounted, and with the construction shown anddescribed this coupling member 6 supports the indicating disk 3 uponwhich the planetary gears are mounted. Thus the planetary gearing is .ina plane between the disks 4 and 3, which disks are spaced slightly apartto accommodate said gearing, the disk 4 being rotated faster than thedisk 3, when the handle is rotated, because of the action of theplanetary gearing in the manner described.

What I claim as my invention is I 1. In adjusting mechanism for radioapparatus, the combination of an element to be given rotary adjustment,a handle for manually operating said mechanism, axially alined with thesaid element, gearing between said handle and said element, thereby tocause said element to move at a slower rate of speed than said handle,and means movable by said handle and serving to disclose said gearingback of the handle, said enclosing means comprising relatively movabledisks which are rigid with said element and with said handle,respectively, and a stationary spacer ring between the outer exposededge portions of said disks.

the disk which is rigid with the coupling member, said gears engagingthe teeth of said ring and also engaging said pinion, the disk which isrigid with the coupling member being of greater diameter than the otherdisk, said disks being exposed to view and in conjunction with said ringforming means to enclose said planetary gearing.

6. A structure asspecified in claim 5, said disks andsaid ring havingbeveled edges provided with indicating means thereon.

RAYMOND A. MULL.

2. In adjusting mechanism for radio apparatus, the combination of ashaft supported for rotation, a coupling member detachably secured tosaid shaft, extending beyond the end thereof, a handle rotatablysupported by said coupling member, a disk rigid with said handle, a diskrigid with said coupling memher, said disks spaced a distance apart, andplanetary gearing disposed in the space between said disks, forming aslow speedconrotatable disk and enclosing the outer end port-ion of saidcoupling member, a metal ring forming a spacer between the edges of saiddisks, teeth on the inner circumference of said ring, means including abinding post to hold said ring against rotation, a pinion rigid withsaid handle and disposed in the plane of said ring, planetary gearsrotatably mounted on

